Units
from Kuhl Hose were dispatched to assist Belle
Valley with Fire Police just after noon today on
Interstate 90 at Exit 29 (State Route 8) for a
Semi / car accident. Shortly after an engine
was requested for assistance due to a Hazardous
Materials Leak.
The accident occurred in the East Bound lane of
Interstate 90 just west of the Exit 29 exit
ramp. A semi collided with a mid size vehicle,
then struck the end of the bridge. The Semi
then continued East bound, crossed the median
and then across both West Bound lanes coming to
a stop resting on the guardrail near the West
bound off ramp. The semi was carrying several
large rolls of steel that weighed approximately
2 1/2 tons each. The rolls of steel were thrown
over the interstate bridge onto State Route 8.
The Steel made large hole in the edge of the
roadway.
Emergycare Medic 91
arrived on the scene and provided initial
treatment until Millcreek Paramedic Service
arrived. The driver of the semi was taken by
Millcreek Paramedics to Hamot Shock Trauma.
Belle Valley and Kuhl
Hose Crews contained the diesel fuel and oil
leaks, and awaited the Hazardous Materials
Team. Both of the Semi's saddle tanks were
ruptured and it was also leaking other fluids.
The Pennsylvania State
Police were on the scene and along with the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation made
the decision to close both lanes of the
Interstate due to safety reasons. Both
directions of the interstate were covered with
diesel fuel and oil. Penn Dot used sand on the
roadway to contain the diesel and oil spill and
to make the roadway safe for traffic. They also
worked on guardrails that were damaged.
West End Towing removed
the semi from the guardrail and then from the
Interstate. A Hazardous Materials
recovery/clean up team was dispatched to the
scene.
Fire Police were on the
scene and controlled traffic that was being
detoured off of the highway. West bound traffic
was detoured on the off ramp and then back onto
the on ramp. East bound traffic had to be
detoured several miles using alternate routes.
The new Bay front connector was used to get
traffic back to I-90. Fire Police from Belle
Valley, Brookside, Kuhl Hose, Perry Hiway and
Wattsburg, along with Millcreek Police
Department handled the traffic situation.
One lane each direction
was reopened just before 5 p.m. Clean up crews
and State Police remained on the scene for
several hours after the fire department cleared
the scene.
The accident is being
investigated by the State Police.
 
 |
